Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.

The instant you speak about a thing, you miss the mark.

When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.

No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person's suffering and bring that person joy.

Who would then deny that when I am sipping tea in my tearoom I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space?

The Buddha's teaching challenges us to master the art of living, to live in a way that leads to the extinction of suffering.

The nature of mind is like a mirror. It is not affected by whatever appears in it, yet it never fails to reflect everything perfectly.

The mind is like a well-forged sword - it adapts to all situations.

There is no difference at all between samsara and nirvana. There is no difference at all between nirvana and samsara.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy, and happiness is found in benefiting others.

When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.

The great gift of meditation is that it returns us to the simplicity of our own being.

In the end, just three things matter: How well we have lived, how well we have loved, how well we have learned to let go.

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth.

Wisdom is not something we have to strive to acquire. Rather, wisdom arises naturally as we open our hearts to the truth of what is.

The whole path of mindfulness is about letting go. We let go of our attachment to our views, our attachment to our opinions, our attachment to our ideas.

The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.

Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us.

May all beings be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.

Peace and negativity cannot coexist just as light and darkness cannot coexist.

We can learn the art of fierce compassion - redefining strength, deconstructing isolation and renewing a sense of community, practicing letting go of rigid us-vs.-them thinking.

The deepest happiness comes from having an enduring sense of purpose, one that gives our lives meaning beyond the endless pursuit of pleasure and success.

Enlightenment is intimacy with all things.

Zen is a way of life, not a theory or a piece of knowledge to be stored away in our minds.

Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.

Devotion is the head of meditation, as is often said. When you are inspired by some spiritual teacher, you can have a very strong connection with that person, and thereby the blessings can enter.

Kindness is the solution to all of life's problems.

Forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past could have been any different.

True peace comes not from controlling the world, but from letting go of control.

There is no need to have a deep understanding of Zen. Even though you read much Zen literature, you must read each sentence with a fresh mind.

Meditation is not just about sitting quietly, it's about transforming the mind.

Real freedom is not about controlling our experience, but about being free within our experience.